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Silly Newbie questions...

These are the little things that make me wish I had been in Pony Club... I'm entering a teeny 3 day in May, and I have random silly questions as I start to think about what gear I need to acquire. I have read the USEA rule book, but some of the things that are permissible and not confuse me.

Is it silly to wear white breeches in dressage at such a low level? Should I just stick with tan to avoid being "too formal"? I have to buy a pair (or 2) of show breeches anyway, so it's a matter of "do I get 2 light tan, or one white and one tan"?

The USEA says "any kind of leg boots or bandages are expressly forbidden" in dressage...does that mean no polo wraps? I thought those were standard in dressage. Not that I use them much, but I want to look like we kind of know what we're doing!

Also regarding shoes and studs...I have a sure footed horse, who has done dozens of foxhunts barefoot. So I hesitate to shoe her unnecessarily. The event facility recommends studs for all levels above the one I'm entering, but there's no rule against competing barefoot is there?

Lastly (for now) my mare is a trotting standardbred, and generally trots all but the fastest-moving runs of a foxhunt. While I realize it's not the norm, I can trot most of my cross country course if I can meet the optimum time that way, right? Granted, I'm not entering the event with any thought of winning it - I am going for fun, but I don't want to look TOO stupid.

OK, first of all, you're not entering a 3 day. You're going to a horse trial. Big difference!

As for the rest, wear whatever you have for dressage: any light color will do. White and light tan and light beige and even the green-beige baby puke color is pretty common at the lower levels. Seriously, if it's a light color, no one will care.

No polos for dressage. Nothing, nada, zip on the horse's legs. Naked.

No rule against competing barefoot: I often don't put studs in for young horses either. If your horse is foxhunting barefoot, she'll be more than fine without for XC. Yes, you CAN trot your XC course, though you will likely get some funny looks. Most folks have a nice slow canter at the lower levels. More important that you are safe and have fun.

As for breech color, I never ever wore white until I did straight dressage shows. I had a grey horse, so I wore a light grey breech. When I event my buckskin this year I'll probably wear beige. Just keep in mind that everything you wear should be clean

As for boots in dressage. Absolutely nothing can be worn on the legs. This is standard across the board - you don't see polos on dressage horses in competition either. So no boots.

As for the barefoot - GO WITH IT!!! You will likely find that you will have no problems if you've foxhunted her. The event footing will probably be better groomed than your foxhunting ground, so you should be just fine. I also will be eventing my Welsh cob barefoot!

If your horse is more comfortable in the trot, then I don't see any issues with it. Not sure if this is a USEA competition or not, but often times the schooling events around here will NOT time the xc portion, so time isn't an issue anyways.

Video, good thought.

If you are buying breeches anyway, I have always been taught that your dressage coat/shirt combination is what determines color of breeches. If you are wearing a non-black hunt coat and ratcatcher shirt (the one with the choker type neckwear) than you should wear tan. If you are wearing a black dressage coat with stocktie neckwear, than you should wear white pants.

That being said, as everyone noted here, no one is going to care what color pants you wear. Wear what fits and is comfortable.

Who cares if you trot every fence? I've seen plenty of people that would be better off trotting more fences! Yes, most people will canter but you can trot any fence you want to!

But, especially at unrecognized events, you are going to be okay even if you are not 100% correct (i.e. wearing a black jacket but not a stock tie). If you hunt, you probably are ahead of the game anyway! Also if it's warm, many people just wear a white polo shirt or white riding shirt with short sleeves and a collar, but no choker or stock tie.

Agree with Janet. I have competed at championships and through prelim in light tan. I figure wearing white is just a big challenge to the eventing gods to dump me in the water, and I can never keep them clean for more than 3 minutes anyway.

Your questions have already been answered... but I just have to say ... and ask:

How COOL it must be to ride that huge trot... and it'll be fine out on xc... especially if you've foxhunted... actually.. lol..you might have to make sure you don't get speeding faults if our horse really goes all out in the trot. I'd love to see some video of the XC also.

Everyone answered you but wanted to add that I trotted my first cross country course. It was mine and my horses first time and he'd never even schooled, granted we did tadpole so up to 2'3 so no big deal. Noone said anything except good job. Have fun and don't worry about it and good luck.

I just wanted to ask...

If you are talking about going to the May Woodside HT (saw that you were from CA)? If so, you won't be the only newbie there! After many years in the jumper ring, my mare and I will be there as well testing the waters haha!

Your questions have already been answered... but I just have to say ... and ask:

How COOL it must be to ride that huge trot... and it'll be fine out on xc... especially if you've foxhunted... actually.. lol..you might have to make sure you don't get speeding faults if our horse really goes all out in the trot. I'd love to see some video of the XC also.

Do you typically half seat for the big trot.. ? Post?!?!

I usually Half seat in the hunt field. She moves to fast to post comfortably!

And for where I'm going - it's Eventful Acres, up in Oregon House (?) I don't suppose anyone else on here is attending?

How wonderful you have a Standardbred! They are a secret special breed, for sure - I trained them to race for almost 20 years and have five still in the barn in various states of retirement, but event my TB's to prelim level, too.
Do not forget one thing - hunting, they are in a group and following one another. Cross country, they have to go out alone and go over what you point them at. If possible, you should find a way to cross country school before your event, or practice jumping jumps out in a large field where she has to go away from other horses. If you have not already established that with her! (I just know Standardbreds!) ))